Charges follow altercation over disabled parking permit

A 29-year-old woman is facing assault charges after an altercation with a parking enforcement officer over her use of a disabled parking permit.

King County prosecutors contend Kimberly T. Jones tried to hit a Seattle parking officer with her SUV on June 23 after the officer confronted Jones about a disabled parking placard hanging in her Nissan Pathfinder.

According to charging documents, the parking officer had been tasked with identifying drivers unlawfully using the placards to flout parking fees on city streets. Lawful holders of the placards are exempt from such fees.

Having noted the SUV registered to Jones parked in the 1100 block of Cherry Street hours earlier, the parking officer confronted Jones as she returned to the car at about 4:45 p.m.

Confronted by the officer on the First Hill street, Jones claimed she was the caretaker of the lawful owner of the placard, a Seattle detective told the court. When asked for her driver's license and the placard, the detective continued, Jones became obstinate.

"I'm not giving you the placard," Jones allegedly told the parking officer. "I'm not giving you anything."

As the verbal altercation continued, the parking officer called for police assistance. As she did so, prosecutors allege, Jones attempted to strike her with the SUV as she sped away from the scene.

A Seattle patrol officer stopped Jones two blocks from the altercation site. She denied attempting to strike the parking officer with her car and was booked into King County Jail.

Charged with third-degree assault, Jones, of Renton, was released from jail Monday after posting bond.